The Police Regional Office-9 has doubled its efforts in the campaign against loose firearms in Zamboanga Peninsula even after it has recovered many undocumented firearms in the region since January.

PRO9 Director Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles yesterday convened the top officials of the command to discuss the campaign even though the number of loose firearms in the region has been reduced as an offshoot of the PNP campiagn which also covers accounting of expired and un-renewed firearms.

PRO9 roughly estimated some 31,000 loose firearms and some 6,000 expired and un-renewed licenses in the entire region including those in Isabela City, Basilan which is also being covered by PRO-9.

Estilles said in the recovery efforts, Zamboanga del Sur police provincial office recorded the highest number of confiscations.

“As much as possible, we are targeting everybody, not only those lawless elements, but also individuals who are not authorized to carry firearms. At present, my directive is to double the efforts in this campaign,” Estilles said.

The campaign is also in line with PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome’s directive to all police units to step-up operations to account for more loose firearms proliferating in the country,

“Our prime objective in this campaign is to take away one of the source of violence - the firearms. We are immobilizing the criminal elements and partisan armed groups that may affect the peace and order initiatives of local authorities in this region,” Estilles said.

PRO9 bared figures in the various provinces, cities and municipalities of Zamboanga Peninsula — expired or un-renewed firearms reached 6,212. Some 1,130 for juridical or those owned by the LGUs, and some 5,082 from individual gun owners.

Meanwhile, PRO9 revealed that Zamboanga City registered the highest number of loose firearms proliferation which has roughly reached 10, 978 firearms. Zamboanga del Norte is next with some 5,514. Zamboanga Sibugay has 4,050, Zamboanga dle Sur 9,107 and Isabela City 1,365 lose firearms.

Oplan “Bakal” and Oplan “Sita” operations are also being intensified in the region with some internal security operations, search warrant operations, and checkpoint operations.

Earlier, the Commission on Elections released the names of 15 provinces where proliferation of loose firearms is noted. These provinces were tagged for the implementation of total gun ban which will start on January 13, 2013 in time for the forthcoming national and local elections, wherein the PNP has been designated as the prime mover in the implementation of such campaign. – Bhong Simbajon